Cactus Camping

Spring is here and the flowers are blooming. It’s time to get out there.

If you’re from the Phoenix area but don’t have time to go for a long hike, take a quick trip to the Riparian Preserve at the Gilbert Water Ranch. One hundred and ten acres of land used for water treatment have been co-developed into a desert wetland oasis for over 200 species of birds.

Many flowers are already showing off including Mexican gold poppy, owl clover, desert senna, brittlebush, globemallow, fiddleneck, creosote, fairy duster, and tree tobacco.

Along with flowers, the Riparian Preserve offers bird walks, fishing, stargazing, a simulated Mars landscape, and an archaeological pit. It’s also a great place to watch the sunset.

The Riparian Preserve is located on the southeast corner of Greenfield and Guadalupe roads in Gilbert and it is open from 6:00am to 10:00pm, 7 days a week.

“The Apache Trail combines the grandeur of the Alps, the glory of the Rockies, the magnificence of the Grand Canyon and then adds an indefinable something that none of the others have. To me, it is the most awe-inspiring and most sublimely beautiful panorama nature has ever created.” - President Theodore Roosevelt

At Lost Dutchman State Park, not only are you at the doorstep of the Superstition Mountains, but you are also at the beginning of the only drive in Arizona designated as both a Historic Road and a National Scenic Byway. This route along the Salt River was used by Native Americans for centuries before it was widened to bring supplies during the construction of the Roosevelt Dam. It winds its way in Sonoran Desert splendor along the side of green lichen-covered sheer cliffs, among towering saguaros, and overlooks deep blue canyon reservoirs.

Along the Apache Trail stop at Canyon Lake and rent a boat at the marina, take a guided lake tour on the Dolly Steamboat, or have a meal overlooking the water at the Lakeside Restaurant and Cantina. If you’ve brought your gear, it’s an easy 3-mile paddle to The Point, three spacious campsites accessible only by boat.

Continue your journey to Tortilla Flat, population 6, where the gift shop serves deliciously pink prickly pear ice cream. Heartier appetites can be satisfied by a burger at the Tortilla Flat Restaurant, where the wallpaper is made up of dollar bills. A side trip takes you to Horse Mesa Dam overlooking Apache Lake. Farther up the Trail, spend the night at Burnt Corral recreation site with your tent at the water’s edge.

The lobby of the Apache Lake Marina and Resort boasts a photo tour of the construction of the historic Roosevelt Dam, and at the top of the Trail you can see the sight for yourself. There are plenty of camping opportunities at Roosevelt Lake; our pick is Cholla Campground, which offers tent-only sites overlooking the largest lake on the Salt River. Nearby, the Tonto National Monument offers you the opportunity to tour 700-year old cliff dwellings left by the Salado people.

More details about these campgrounds and other attractions along the Apache Trail can be found in The Best in Tent Camping: Arizona.